Gas pressure regulator



Oct. 31, 1939.

M. H. GROVE 2,177,825 I GAS PRESSURE REGULATOR Filed Jan. 12, 19:57

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- Patented a. 31, 1939,

PATENT =0FFICE GAS FRI-ISSUES REGULATOR Marvin H. Grove, Berkeley, Calif.

Application January 12, 1937, Serial No.' 120',231

- 2 Claim.

This invention relatesgenerally to improvements in regulators of the type disclosed and claimed in my co-pending Patent No. 2,047,101,

granted July 7, 1936. More specifically the in- 5 vention applies to regulators making use of a socalled gas pressure dome, by means of which the regulator is loaded, and which takes the place of a. biasing spring, in conventional spring-loaded regulators.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a regulator of the above character having means tending to minimize temperature varia-- tions of the trapped loading gas, due to varying ll heat from the sun's rays;

Further objects of the invention will appear gas dome, and which is ventilated for passage of convection currents of air. The main part of the regulator illustrated, aside from the cover, consists of a body I0, provided with inlet and outlet openings II and i2 respectively, which can be connected to the inlet and outlet piping l3 and i4. dome it, formed of suitable material such as forged steel.

. The peripheral edge portion of a fluid operateddiaphragm i1, is clamped between the dome l6 and the body, and is arranged to operate a flow control valve i8. Thus the valve I8 is shown provided with an operating stem i9, which is.

guided in bushing 2|. The upper end of this stem engages the central part of a thrust plate 22, the upper face of which engages the lower 23 serves to normally maintain the plate 22 in engagement with the lower face of diaphragm i'l. Another light compression spring 24 serves to bias the valve l8 towards its seat ring 26. Be-

sure regulator, the diaphragm is subjected to the pressure of the gas source, instead of to the cutflow pressure,

The dome i6 forms a closed gas chamber 28,

5 adapted to contain a predetermined amount of climatic conditions, as for example absorption of Clamped upon the body Hi there is a face of diaphragm H. A light compression spring trapped gasunder pressure. It is this gas pressure which normally presses down upon the diaphragm I'I,. and the value of this pressure determlnesthe pressure at which gas will-be delivered to the outflow piping 14. It is to be understood I that provision is made for adjusting the pressure of gas in chamber 28, as for example an arrangement of needle valves such as is disclosed in said Patent No. 2,047,101, and by means of which excess pressure can be vented to the atmq phere, or 10 gas supplied to. chamber 28 from the inflow side of the regulator. I

The lower face of the dome I6 is provided with a bailie wallor plate 29, which is in close proximity to the upper face of diaphragmv II, when 18 the valve member i8 is in closed" position. This plate functions in the same manner as the baiiie wall or plate58, illustrated in. Fig. 1 of the aforesaid Patent No. 2,047,101. It is provided with a flow restricting orifice 30, which communicates with the chamber 28, through the short stand, pipe 3 I. A tubular strut 32 is also provided, which has its upper end connected to the dome, and its lower end machined to abut the inner face of the baffle plate 29. In a regulator of the above character valve i8 is opened by downward flexing of diaphragm II, when the pressure on the outflow side of the regulator, and the pressure in chamber 21, is somewhat less than the pressure of the trapped a gas in dome It. It is therefore evident that any variation in the pressure of the gas in chamber 28, such as would be caused by a variation in temperature, will cause a corresponding change in outflow pressure. When the regulator is placed in service in an unsheltered place, as is usually the case, exposure to the sun's ,rays during the daytime may cause a serious increase in temperature of the dome l6, wltlr' the result that the gas in chamber 28 will materially increase in 4 pressure, and there will be a' corresponding increase in pressure on the outflow side of the regulator.

It is for the purpose of minimizing or avoiding such'temperature changes, that 1 have provided the. cover designated generally at 33. This cover consists of a pair of concentric bell-shaped memhers and 36 which can conveniently be formed of sheet metal. They areshown retainedupon the dome It by means of screws 31, in conjunction withuthe spacers 38, whereby a substantial space or passage 30 is formed between the inner member 34 and the dome, and another space or passage li formed between the inner and outer- I members 34 and '38. The upper part of the outer I member 36 is provided with a discharge opening or vent 42. At the lower edge of member 363 space M is in free communication with the, atmosphere, as indicated at 43. Member 34 is also provided with a discharge opening or vent 46, which is aligned with andimmediately below the opening 42. The lower part of space 39 communicates with a side hood 46, which in turn is disposed adjacent the outlet piping l4 and communicates with theatmosphere.

The arrangement described above operates as follows: When the cover 33 is exposed to the sun's rays, considerable heat is absorbed by the outer member 36, and this heat is imparted to air within the space 4| to cause upward flow of convection currents of air through this space, into opening Q3, and out through the vent 42. At the same time upward currents of air will be caused to flow through the inner space 39, due principally to the proximity of hood 66 with the outflow piping it. Due to expansion of gas passing through the regulator the outlet piping adjacent the regulator is at a considerable lower temperature than the normal temperature of the dome it. Thus since the inlet through hood 46 is in proximity with piping it, it is in communication with a source of relatively cool air, thus tending to cause continued upward flow of cool air through passage 39, to be discharged through the vent it. Discharge of air from vent 4% through the vent 42, also causes an aspirating action, tending to withdraw air from the upper portion of space M, and thus induce upwardly flow of air through this outer space. Thus the cover is adequately ventilated, the outer walls of the dome are subjected to air which is generally at a slightly lower temperature than that of the surrounding atmosphere, and the dome is adequately protected from absorption of intense heat from the sun's rays; As a result wide temperature fluctuations of the gas in dome it are avoided, and therefore fluctuations of gas pressure on the outflow side are maintained at a minimum.

I claim:

1. In a gas flow regulator, a body having inflow and outflow passages connected with inflow and outflow piping, a fluid operated diaphragm carried within the body, valve means controlled by movements of said diaphragm and serving to control flow of gas through the body, a metal dome or shell secured to the body and forming a closed gas chamber on one side of the diaphragm, said gas chamber being adapted to contain a predetermined amount of gas under pressure to bias the diaphragm in one direction, and a cover for the dome, said cover embracing the dome and spaced from the exterior walls of the same to form a passage for convection currents of air, the upper portion of said cover having avent to the atmosphere and the lower portion of said cover having an inlet opening communicating with the atmosphere in a region adjacent the outlet piping.

2. In a gas flow regulator, a body having inflow and outflow passages, a fluid operated diaphragm carried within the body, valve means controlled by movements of said diaphragm serving to control flow of gas through the body, a metal dome or shell secured to the body and forming a closed gas chamber on one side of the diaphragm, said gas chamber being adapted to contain a predetermined amount of gas under pressure to bias the diaphragm in one direction, and a cover serving to jacket the dome, said cover comprising spaced inner and outer members forming between them a passage for fiow of convection currents of air, and also forming a passage for convection currents of air between the inner member of the cover and the exterior surface of the dome, the first named passage of the cover having an upper vent communicating with the atmosphere and a lower inlet opening likewise communicating with the atmosphere, the second named passage being vented throughthe inner member of the cover to discharge into said first named vent, said second passage also having an inflow opening communicating with the atmosphere in a region adjacent the outlet piping of'the'regulator.

MARVIN H. GROVE. 

